@oregonstateuniv discovers Dulce Seaweed Algae can solve @UNFAO's 2015 Meat Crisis

People of the World, I think I've solved the impending Meat Crisis that the UNFAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) had predicted would occur in 2023 as reported in my blog article entitled “United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says Insects is the Meat for the next 20 years - Soylent Green may be avoided via Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”.

We don't have to eat insects as the UNFAO has pointed out!

Rather, all we need to do is switch to an algae that grows like a seaweed called Dulse as reported in the article “Bacon-flavored seaweed is a thing Now”, published  July 16, 2015 by Danny Gallagher, CNET News.  Developed by the Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, it allegedly tastes like bacon!

The Researchers at the Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center, led by Professor of Fisheries Dr. Chris Langdon, had apparently been growing the naturally occurring translucent Red Seaweed which normally grows in the wild along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines seaweed to feed abalone sea snails as part of an ongoing experiment.

Because he needed a lot of the Dulce Seaweed, he began using a water recirculation system that created the ideal conditions for the Dulce Seaweed to flourish.

The result is that the Dulce Algae grows much faster in the lab than in the wild as reported in the article “Researchers from Oregon State University have created a new strain of seaweed that tastes like bacon”, published July 16, 2015 By Rick Stella, Digitaltrends. 

The researchers at the Hatfield Marine Science Center were able to harvest some 20 to 30 lb per week. So how did Dulce go from being food for abalone sea snails to being food for people?

Oregon State University Dulce Algae taste like Bacon - Research students probably knew

What happened next isn't scientifically clear, but it appears they may have grown way too much Dulce Seaweed to feed the sea snails alone.

So Dr. Chris Langdon, on the advice of OSU College of Business faculty member named Chuck Toombs (MBA), had some of the Dulce Seaweed taken to the Oregon State’s Food Innovation Center in Portland, Oregon, where the chefs created rice crackers and salad dressing using the Seaweed.

After all, if it grew that fast in captivity, it could be grown commercially and farmed, quote: “Theoretically you could create an industry in eastern Oregon almost as easily as you could along the coast with a bit of supplementation. You just need a modest amount of seawater and some sunshine.”

Turns out when fried, it tasted like bacon as reported in the article “Stop Everything: There’s a New Seaweed That Tastes Like Bacon and Is Better for You Than Kale”, published July 16,  2015 by Helen Regan, Time. 

Say what?

All of this has me surprised, as I thought they'd have known that from Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center own labs.  After all if they had an excess, wouldn’t some of the lab assistants had taken some home under the quiet and already have been using it as food?

It's known to be edible by humans and being starving Research students, its unlike they could have resisted the temptation to eat some!

Discovery of Dulce Seaweed Human Food Potential - Dulce Seaweed taste like Bacon

Dr. Chris Langdon was quick to point out that it's normally only harvested, dried and sold as a cooking ingredient or nutritional supplement, to quote Dr. Chris Langdon: “There hasn’t been a lot of interest in using it in a fresh form. But this stuff is pretty amazing. When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed. And it’s a pretty strong bacon flavor”.

Most Americans have NEVER thought to use it in its raw form and probably wouldn’t, being as they mostly eat processed food anyways. Dulce was just another supplement they took or food they enjoyed when they ate out at fancy restaurants!

They may have already discovered that it was edible by frying or even boiling it, as bacon, boiled or fried, cooks ok and taste great because of the combinations of sugars, proteins and salt that give regular bacon that characteristic taste and smell as explained in the article “Mmmm...The science of craving bacon”, published June 26, 2015 by Bonnie Burton, CNET News.  

Well, that alone has chef's excited.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture eventually gave a grant to the OSU’s Food Innovation Center in Portland, Oregon to discover other ways to use Dulce Seaweed as a main ingredient in cooking along with other product as noted in the article “Researchers from Oregon State University have created a new strain of seaweed that tastes like bacon”, published July 16, 2015 By Rick Stella, Digitaltrends. 

So aside from Bacon, what other uses does this human-compatible superfood have?

Oregon Department of Agriculture Research Grant - Making everything from Bacon to Beer

OSU's Food Innovation Center then contracted the services of research chef Jason Ball, who had previously worked with University of Copenhagen’s Nordic Food Lab to find better uses for local ingredients in Denmark. Working with Dulce Seaweed is extremely rare and research chef Jason Ball didn’t hesitate to become a part of their research.

Dr. Chris Langdon and Chef Jason Ball has already created some fourteen (14) Dulce Seaweed infused foods with others in the pipeline. However, the main ones created thus far are:

1.      Dulse Salad dressing

2.      Dulse Sesame seed chips

3.      Dulse Peanut brittle

4.      Dulse veggie burgers

5.      Dulse trail mix

6.      Dulse Beer

I'm, already impressed by the Bacon, as it would be attractive to non-meat eaters (read vegetarians) with a craving for meat.

On a more serious note, this might be a solution to the impending Meat Crisis that the UNFAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) had predicted would occur in 2023 as reported in my blog article entitled “United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says Insects is the Meat for the next 20 years - Soylent Green may be avoided via Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”.

The oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface. Farms out in the sea as well as Aquaculture farms on land could grow the Dulce Algae Seaweed on a scale large enough to be economical.

These Dulce Algae Seaweed Farms could become the next Wheat Crop, feeding whole nations and could potentially be the solution to supplying protein for the Earth’s population, expected to hit 9 billion by 2025.

Expansion into Europe seems likely, as OSU College of Business faculty member Chuck Toombs has already begun plotting to take over the EU, as the interest from Oregon chef indicate that this might be an epicurean delight, not necessarily for its bacon-y goodness!

But Beer? Will follow this up...when they use the Dulce Seaweed to make beer!